Ahmed Zewail

26 February 1946 – 2 August 2016

Ahmed Hassan Zewail was an Egyptian-American chemist known as the father of femtochemistry. He won the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his studies of chemical reactions on extremely short timescales using ultrafast lasers, becoming the first Egyptian to win a scientific Nobel Prize. He spent most of his career at the California Institute of Technology.

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Life events

Born in Damanhur, Egypt
26 February 1946

Ahmed Hassan Zewail was born in Damanhur and raised in Desouk, Egypt.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Earned bachelor's degree from Alexandria University
1967

Zewail received his B.S. in chemistry from Alexandria University in Egypt.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Moved to the United States for doctoral study
1969

He relocated to the United States to pursue graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Received Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania
1974

Zewail completed his doctorate under Robin Hochstrasser at the University of Pennsylvania.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Joined the faculty of the California Institute of Technology
1976

After postdoctoral work at UC Berkeley, Zewail joined Caltech, where he remained for the rest of his career.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Pioneered femtochemistry with ultrafast laser experiments
c. 1987

In the late 1980s Zewail's group used femtosecond laser pulses to observe chemical reactions as they occur.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
12 October 1999

Zewail received the 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his studies of the transition states of chemical reactions using femtosecond spectroscopy.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Appointed to the U.S. President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology
2009

President Barack Obama named Zewail to his science advisory council and he served as a U.S. science envoy to the Middle East.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Founded Zewail City of Science and Technology in Egypt
2011

He championed a national science and technology institution in Egypt, which was formally launched in 2011.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Died in Pasadena, California
2 August 2016

Zewail died at age 70 in Pasadena, California, after a period of illness.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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